Comprehensive outdoor UWB dataset: Static and dynamic measurements in LOS/NLOS environments.

Area of Science:

• Robotics and Navigation
• Wireless Communication Systems
• Geomatics Engineering

Background:

• Multipath propagation significantly impacts ultra-wideband (UWB) localization accuracy, especially in outdoor non-line-of-sight (NLOS) scenarios.
• Existing datasets often lack comprehensive outdoor measurements capturing dynamic environmental factors and diverse multipath conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel, comprehensive outdoor UWB dataset for analyzing multipath effects in both line-of-sight (LOS) and NLOS environments.
• To facilitate the development and evaluation of real-time localization algorithms using UWB technology.
• To provide a benchmark for assessing localization performance against high-accuracy Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) solutions.

Main Methods:

• Collected static UWB data varying antenna height and distance to assess multipath interference and ranging errors, simulating NLOS conditions with walls.
• Acquired dynamic datasets using a mobile robot system, integrating Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), GNSS, and UWB measurements under various anchor configurations.
• Implemented and provided two representative localization algorithms: least-squares and an error-state Kalman filter.

Main Results:

• Identified ranging errors caused by ground reflections and Fresnel zone signal attenuations influenced by antenna height, offering insights for UWB anchor placement.
• Demonstrated the dataset's utility in evaluating localization methods against high-accuracy RTK-GNSS, showcasing potential for performance improvements.
• Quantified the impact of discrete multipaths in static and dynamic outdoor environments on UWB signal propagation and localization accuracy.

Conclusions:

• The comprehensive outdoor UWB dataset is a valuable resource for advancing real-time localization research by addressing complex multipath phenomena.
• Understanding and mitigating multipath effects, particularly those related to antenna height and environmental obstructions, is critical for robust outdoor UWB localization.
• The provided dataset and baseline algorithms accelerate the study and improvement of localization systems in diverse real-world outdoor settings.